The Data-Over-Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) was established by cable television network operators to facilitate transporting data traffic, primarily Internet traffic, over existing cable television (e.g., community antenna television (CATV)) networks. In addition to transporting data traffic, as well as television content signals over a CATV network, multiple services operators (MSO) also use their CATV network infrastructure for carrying voice, video on demand (VoD) and video conferencing traffic signals, among other services.
A wired network, such as a CATV network, or other broadband facilities-based network, can experience noise that impedes or degrades information transmission. The noise on a wired network can be frequency-specific or time-specific. Time-based noise is often called impulse noise since it has some of the characteristics of a mathematical impulse. Generally, impulse noise occurs at a certain time or within a certain period, but tends to contaminate a wide spectrum of frequencies on the network.
Typically, in order to measure impulse noise over a wideband spectrum, traffic on all channels of the wideband spectrum must be simultaneously stopped and a time domain capture must then be taken of all channels on the wideband spectrum. Simultaneously stopping traffic on multiple channels generally presents several problems. For one, the quality of service experienced by customers is reduced when traffic on multiple channels is simultaneously stopped. Further, the span of time associated with a domain capture is generally reduced as the capture band gets wider, thereby making an accurate measurement of wideband impulse noise difficult to obtain.
Therefore, it is desirable to improve upon the techniques for measuring impulse noise over a wideband spectrum.
Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.